burly

== English == === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation, General Australian) IPA(key): /ˈbɜːli/ (US) IPA(key): /bɝli/ (Scotland) IPA(key): /bʌrle/, /bʌrlɪ/ (New Zealand) IPA(key): /bøːli/ (Liverpool, fair–fur merger) IPA(key): /beːli/ (Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger) IPA(key): /bɛːli/ Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)li Homophone: barely (fair–fur merger) === Etymology 1 === From Middle English burly, burely, borly, burlich, borlich, borlic (“tall, stately”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Scots burely, burly (“rough, stout, sturdy, strong”). Perhaps from Old English *būrlīċ (“noble, stately”, literally “bowerly”), equivalent to bower +‎ -ly; or from Old English *byrlīċ (“high, raised”), from byre (“raised area, mound”), cognate with Old High German burlīh, purlīh (“lofty, elevated, high, exalted”), related to Old High German burjan (“to raise, lift, push up”), English burgeon. However, Irish burla (“bundle, pack; burly person”) points to a different origin. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term. ==== Alternative forms ==== bowerly (dialectal) ==== Adjective ==== burly (comparative burlier, superlative burliest) (usually of a man) Large, well-built, and muscular. (British, East End of London, slang) Great, amazing, unbelievable. (US, slang, surf culture and/or Southern California) Of large magnitude, either good or bad, and sometimes both. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === burl +‎ -y ==== Adjective ==== burly (comparative more burly, superlative most burly) Full of burls or knots; knotty. === See also === hurly-burly == Middle English == === Adjective === burly alternative form of burely